Well rooted leadership

"I'm planting a tree to teach me to gather strength from my deepest roots" - Andrea Koehle Jones, The Wish Trees
Young shallow rooted Weeping White Pine 


I have a love hate relationship with Fall. I love the cooler temps and the dancing trees covered in brilliant shades of color. The bugs are gone and it's a great time for fires and football. I HATE what comes after Fall and know that Old Man Winter will be gleefully putting my garden to sleep for far too long here in Michigan.

Fall is the optimal time to buy trees and plant them. You can unearth great deals on trees as nurseries prepare to shut down for the season. Just yesterday, I bought two Weeping White Pines like those to the left for $20 a piece! What a steal! Newly planted trees may look like they are already sleeping for the season, but as I've shared in a prior article - there is a lot going on below the surface! Fall Into Learning. The roots are growing and developing until the middle of winter. If the roots aren't  strong, developed, and healthy, the tree will quickly die.

Roots are the lifeline of any plant or tree. You can buy the rattiest looking tree or plant in the fall but if the roots are healthy it just doesn't matter. When you are buying a new plant, gently pull the plant out of the pot and examine the roots. Is the plant root bound with the roots tightly packed in or piled thick over each other? Are there bugs in the soil? Do the roots look healthy in color? Don't mind the stares from the nursery folks if you look at the roots. Any reputable nursery understands the importance of customers looking at plant health. If the plant is packed tightly in the pot, all is not lost. Just gently stab the roots with your shovel prior to planting. Also take your fingers and feature out the small roots. It won't hurt the plant, it will help spur the roots to grow and stretch out. Many years ago (before I knew anything!) I planted a beautiful weeping tree that died a few years later. One of the roots grew around the root ball and literally strangled the tree to death over time. Don't let this happen to you! It's a lot easier to prepare the roots for growth during proper planting, rather than pulling out a dead tree down the road.

Roots support the entire tree structure. Some roots can grow down as far as 60 feet and extend out two times the canopy of the tree! Roots serve the tree as follows:
  • Roots absorb nutrients
  • They anchor and support the tree to protect it during high winds or other climate threats
  • They help with tree reproduction. The roots are the veins of the tree and enable it to feed and seed
  • Roots are the storage system for nutrients
  • Roots absorb water and oxygen
Trees have frequently been compared to people. Their roots, trunks, and leaves serve similar purposes. As with us, if roots aren't healthy in so many ways, the tree dies. Our roots are our source of strength as well. Our roots are vital as we travel down the leadership path in life. As with trees, you can't see the roots but they form the basis for the person. We all need to be feeding our roots and growing them if we are going to lead others or make a difference in this world. Our roots are living, growing, and giving every day. Here are some value examples of what "roots" can be:

  • Integrity
  • Creativity
  • Empathy for others
  • Courage
  • Honesty
  • Passion
  • Vision
  • Healthy risk taking attitude 
I'm sure that you can fill in more values that you feel are critical. The bottom line is that we are all different and our values make us what we are and how we act. To live a healthy life we need to live and honor our values. We should focus on cultivating them and utilizing them to bring out our best - just as a tree's roots do. If our roots aren't strong and anchored,  then we will wither and die in our leadership. How can YOU develop stronger roots? How can you have a strong impact as a leader? Here are some tips:

  • Learn learn learn. Grow as a person and feed those roots. Learning is your nutrients.
  • Take risks to grow and impact others. Some trees survive in spots where they "shouldn't" because of conditions. Be a strong tree that adapts and survives.
  • Remember that your roots "ground" you. Don't sway from who you are.
  • Many trees are "grafted" which means the tree has been changed and grown with a particular unique root stock and different trunk. Many fruit trees or ornamental trees are grafted. They are unique and strong - like you! Appreciate and develop what makes you special!
  • Roots spread and coach the tree to grow. Do the same with those around you. Use your gifts to coach and grow others.
  • Leaders consistently earn the trust of others. Trust is like a strong root ball that nourishes a tree to always be there, strong and standing tall. Not wavering. Earning trust will come from following your roots.
  • Strong roots = strong trees that serve others with their magnificence, purpose, and impact. Be one of those trees. Stand through time.
  • Do everything that you can to avoid growing shallow roots. Shallow thin roots lead to lack of viability  and you forget who you are and why. You will only focus on yourself.
Developing and growing your leadership roots are the key to your health as a person as well as your leadership strength. If you neglect to nourish your roots, deprive them of oxygen, or they are subjected to abuse (for a tree, someone digging at the roots or driving over them) you will become weak and ineffective. If you are really passionate about making a difference in the lives of others, grow your roots so that you develop the strength and will to lead others from the ground up!

Enjoy fall! Go out and find some plants or tree deals to beautify your yard. Give back to nature by adding to it! Don't forget to nourish yourself as winter sets in and you have more time to grow your mind!

Happy Planting!!
Strong rooted and healthy Weeping White Pine